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January Fox Talk
Digest
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 2004

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Articles:
Manager's Report
DIRECTORS REPORT
Thermostats
Season Safety
Computer Club

Events:
Calendar of Events
Bulletin Board
Euchre
Red Hat Club
FUTURE EVENTS

Social:
IN TOUCH
Driveway Snow
What Am I?
Christmas Luncheon
Poetry

I know what you're thinking! Here we go again with another list of boring New Year's Resolutions that no one will ever have a hope of keeping. I would probably think the same thing, but since I wrote this, I don't. I guarantee that this list is entirely different. You see, in order to be able to keep your resolutions, all you have to do is to make resolutions that will be easy to keep. It really is very simple. So here is my list of New Year's Resolutions that I have every intention of keeping in 2004.

� I promise not to use prune juice for pancake syrup before my husband goes out for a walk.
� I will never buy a pet tarantula.
� I will develop my creativity�even if it's finding 1000 ways to do nothing.
� I resolve never to embarrass my husband by wearing cheap jewellery and clothes.
� I am not going to use any 4-letter words except BEER�or FOOD�or COOK�or COLD�or GOLF�or WOOD�or�.
� I will always carry a piece of chalk to outline people who pass out cold.
� I promise my husband that I will not use the words "I told you so" any earlier than noon on January 1, 2004.
� I will endeavour to consume less liquor. (Note the word "endeavour".)
� I resolve never to watch Dr. Phil.
� I promise never to wear a thong bikini. (Boy, are you ever lucky.)
� I will either accept the fact that there is no cure for stupidity, or deport all stupid people to somewhere else in the universe�preferably to a planet that has no intelligent life, so that they'll feel right at home.
� I will focus on the faults of others.
� I will let my husband cook to his heart's content.
� I will, despite going to Curves, gain weight.
� I will definitely procrastinate more�starting tomorrow.
� I will never jump off a cliff just because everyone else did. (This one is for you, Mom.)
� No matter how hard this is, I promise to continue to never submit my income tax on time.
� I resolve to stay off the MIR space station.
� We will endeavour to control our schizophrenia.
� I will break at least one traffic law.
� I promise never to swim with sharks or piranhas.
� I will spread out my priorities beyond my ability to keep track of them.
� I resolve to wait around for opportunities.
� I will accept that I will be stressed out when there are too many things to do.
� I promise never again to give my cat a bath because I need to be scratched.
� I will not reveal who I am, but someone else might give me away.
� I will create loose ends.

FUTURE EVENTS

Decorations Down January 4th
Valentine Luncheon February 12th

Care Committee Co-ordinators

CC #1 - Barb Koerber/Norma Fisher
CC #2 - Marg Macdonald/Helga Stamm
CC #3 - Faith Mundy/Marion Koehler
CC #4 - Audrey Euler/Ellen Bowring

Members At Large Eileen Fairweather/Shirley Thom

KEEPING IN TOUCH
Marg Macdonald
We lost a valued member of our community, Donna Fixter, in December. Donna fought her disease for the last couple of years with strength and determination. Those who knew her admired her attitude, and her zest for life. Donna loved people. She served as the linchpin of her family. Doug and Donna's home was always pivotal in their family's life. As Donna's illness took over, her children and grandchildren gathered to support Donna & Doug night and day through the final days and hours. Tributes to Donna, describing her contributions to the lives of those around her, given by her family members, were very moving. We, in Foxboro Green will also miss her. To Doug, we extend our deepest sympathy.

We have sent a donation in Donna's memory to the Grand River Hospital Cancer Centre on behalf of the community.

We have had a number of operations and illnesses in our community this month. Many have had colds and flu. We hope that everyone is feeling better by Christmas Day!

Heather Keith is recovering brilliantly following her surgery. We gave her a basket of goodies. Phyl Ballantyne fractured her R wrist in a fall taking RJ to his therapy to his R hand so that the family was really in difficulty with no R arms! Luckily their family members took over and really helped them out! We gave them a poinsettia to brighten their Christmas season. Harry Feierabend was in hospital and received a poinsettia and card after he got home. Janice Long who worked so hard to organize goodies for our Foxboro decorating work parties was in hospital. She received a card and a plant when she got home. Marjorie Bond also received a fruit basket after her surgery. Ken McGrath received a gift basket after his recent illness.

Aquabelles The Aquabelles, the "rehabilitation group" of aquafitters, celebrated three birthdays in December at their favourite Christmas restaurant, the Waterlot. Flora Congdon & Wilma Wilkinson (an early January baby) celebrated important birthdays but their significance pales beside that of Marjorie Clarke who turned 89 on December 13th. Congratulations Marj!

Thank You Pauline:
for sticking with us through our highs and lows in our learning stages to produce Fox Talk. We will miss you from the team.
Special Events Sandy Moore

2004 Calendar of Events:

Enclosed with this month's copy of Fox Talk, is our
Calendar of Events for 2004. A copy of this calendar will also be posted in the mailroom.
Please keep the calendar handy or mark the dates on your home calendar. Contacts for each event are also shown for your reference.

This year, we are introducing 3 new events, Burgers & Bluegrass during July, and a Car Rally/Poker Run in October. Bob Leppington will be the convener of both of these events. We will be looking for volunteers to assist Bob as the events draw closer. If you're interested in helping, please contact Bob or any member of our Committee. Our third new event will be a Fish Fry in May, using fish and side dishes supplied by Knechtel's of Port Dover. They come, bring everything, cook, clean-up and leave. How much better does it get than this?

These changes are being made in response to suggestions made by members of the community on the questionnaire circulated last spring. We hope you will enjoy the events planned for this coming year.

Annual Dinner & Dance:
Foxboro's annual Dinner and Dance, attended by 167 residents, was held December 19th at Golf's Steak House. As always, the food was delicious and no-one went home hungry. (Unless they didn't eat their carrots!!) The music and dancing complemented an evening of good cheer, topped off by Mike Kristoff's impersonation of George Burns, singing, "I wish I was 18 again." The impersonation was so good, right down to the cigar and the swagger, that I'm sure Gracie would have had trouble telling them apart.

Many thanks are due to the people who worked to make this evening a success: to Pauline Tickner who gets us all going with the poster, sign-up sheets and tickets; to Janice Long, Judy Nussey and Maureen Potvin who assisted me with ticket sales and seating; to our Master of Ceremonies, Jim Cooke who kept us on track for the evening; to Golf's Steak house for providing such a good meal and lovely surroundings; to Jack Paleczny for our blessing; to Graeme Tickner who knows what we like when it comes to dance music; and last but not least, to Ruth Cooke for her help, support and guidance. Ruth has arranged this event for a long time now and I really appreciate her assistance and have benefitted from her prior experience.

Thank you Ruth! Thank you everyone!
(Ruth is taking a well-deserved break and I will be looking for a co-convener for next year.)

New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is fast approaching and judging by the sign-up sheets, it will be a great success. Special Events have purchases 3 C.D.'s of recorded music prepared especially for Foxboro Residents, which will be used at this event. Some are requested numbers, some are popular dance, and some were numbers that Graeme uses at the Christmas Dance. We are hoping that these C.D.'s will be enjoyed by all and they will always be available from our music library, for use by any resident.

Decorations Down
A final reminder that what went up in November, must come down in January. The Christmas tree, inside decorations and at least some of the exterior decorations will be taken down, with your assistance, on Sunday, January 4th at 1:00 p.m. Refreshments will be provided. See you there!

New Bulletin Board

One of our resident woodworkers, Jim Brodie, has volunteered to construct and install the new bulletin board to be placed in the entry area of the Rec Centre. This bulletin board will be enclosed in glass and will be locked. Bulletins of interest to Foxboro Residents can be posted on the Board by contacting Theresa Tewfik.

Red Hat Club
Joan Beveridge
The Foxboro Red Hat Club celebrated their Christmas Luncheon on a bright, but snowy December day. The venue was Green Gables Restaurant, near the Centre in the Square. It is a beautiful old home filled with antiques and a Victorian Christmas d�cor.

We had the option of either vegetarian quiche or chicken vol-au-vent, A.K.A. chicken a la king which was accompanied by a choice of cheese trays, veggies and dips, 2 salads, fruit and squares.
Interestingly, it was B.Y.O.B., but half of us had forgotten, so that the "haves" shared with the "have nots" in the true Christmas "Spirits".

The rendition of "Are You Lonesome Tonight" by Helen Lumby, Jean Usaty, Marg Harris and Helen Fraser was outstanding! Where did they get those lyrics?
There was some criticism re. the portions of the entrees. We will "bring it up at the next meeting".
It was decided to forego January and February luncheons due to the possibility of inclement weather, and have a pot luck luncheon at our centre in the first week of February. Watch for further notice.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT
Jerry Elias
Foxtalk is our community news source and therefore, I will try and make this column a frequent addition to your news source from the Board, especially for those of you who are unable to make it to the monthly Board meeting that is held at 7:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. All members of the community are welcome to attend and there is a 30-minute question period at the end of each meeting for community input.

First of all, for those of you who may not yet have heard, Al Cameron has stepped down as your President as of 27 November 03. I would personally like to thank Al for his hard work and dedication to the Board during the past year. He was very much involved with trying to find the answers as to what was happening with the hand over of the waste water plants between Foxboro Inc. and the Region and also in trying to find solutions to the problems we have had with the lake. I know that Al and Carol are still very much involved in running their business and the long commute each day has been a burden on them. Al has not stepped aside totally, as he has volunteered to take on the task of leading the new Lake Committee with Richard Shantz as his Co-convener.

Speaking of the lake, Richard has been hard at work ensuring that the lake is not forgotten during the winter. He has been able to obtain a grant of $867 from the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources (MNR) to establish spawning beds and habitat for flathead minnows in our lake. If you have seen the pile of stone, bricks and branches by the west side of the lake, they are there to be placed on the ice over the winter, again with the help of MNR, and to sink to the bottom during the thaw in order to provide shelter for the small fish that will eventually consume the nutrients that are contained in the lake, thus reducing the weed growth.

For those of you who missed the last Board meeting on Dec 15th. you may not be aware that the hand over of the waste water plants from Foxboro Inc. to the Region is in the final stages. We have been informed that as of Dec 15th there was only one outstanding report required from Stantec before a meeting is to be scheduled, sometime before Christmas. I was very much hoping that I could provide you with a date by the time this went to press but the deadline for the paper is at hand and the press waits for no one. The news is all very positive at this time and I am sure we all will await the outcome of the discussions between the two parties involved.

One last note before closing. The Board elected me to be your President and Bill Goddard as Vice President for the remainder of Al's term. I thank them for their vote of confidence and I will certainly do my best to maintain the high standard that Al set in conducting the meetings.

Janet and I would like to wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday and may your New Year be filled with joy.

Snow Season Safety
Mary Louise Coffey
It's almost snow season folks, and with snow, comes shoveling!, For sedentary individuals, the cold weather and the strenuous lifting can be harmful to your health, so take care! The Canadian Physiotherapy Association offers the following tips to reduce the strain when shoveling snow this winter:
- Choose a shovel that's right for you. A shovel with an appropriate length handle is correct when you can slightly bend your knees, flex your back 10 degrees or less, and hold the shovel comfortably in your hands at the start of the shovel stroke.
- When you grip the shovel, make sure yoour hands are at least 12 inches apart. This will increase your leverage and reduce strain on your body.
- Wait until the afternoon to shovel. Maany disc problems occur in the morning when there is increased fluid pressure in the disc because the body has been at rest all night.
- Lift the snow properly. Squat with youur legs apart, knees bent and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist.
- Step in the direction in which you aree throwing the snow. This will help prevent the low back from twisting.
- Tackle heavy snow in two stages. Beginn by skimming off the snow from the top and then remove the bottom layer.
- Take frequent breaks when shoveling. SStand up straight and walk around periodically to extend the lower back.
- Dress warmly and make sure that your llow back is well covered. If your spine is exposed to the cold, your muscles can seize up and result in back pain.
- If you have a health problem or are noot in good shape, do not even consider snow shoveling.

Property Manager's Report
Thresa Tewfik
Welcome new residents:
Kathy & Paul O'Hagan, Linda Gay Dinelle &Doug Schust and Pamela & Don Ridley.

New residents are reminded that they can order salt to be delivered on a form in the mailroom.

I am in the Rec Centre office on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:00 a.m. until noon, if any resident has any questions or concerns.

On December 7th at 1:49 a.m. the site computer failed, which caused the water treatment plant to shut down and the pressure in the distribution system to decrease. A resident, Don Burnstine, phoned the Sanderson Management emergency number and I was notified. I called the emergency number for the Region of Waterloo and was advised that a technician was on the way. The water system at Foxboro is monitored 24 hours a day. The computer was replaced and the plant was functioning normally at 7:14 a.m. Thank you Don, for alerting me to this problem.

It has been my pleasure to work with and for the residents of Foxboro Green for over the past year. I wish you all the very best of Health and Happiness in 2004.

Furnace, Air Conditioner Thermostats
Bob Price
If you have a "Step Down, (Programmable)" Thermostat, be advised most of these units have a battery back up (double "A" batteries). If these batteries go dead, it is possible your furnace will not function. There apparently is a warning system (beep) when the batteries get low. It is recommended that the batteries be replaced at the start of the heating season and the batteries will probably be 75% useful so that they can be used for something else.

Driveway Snow Removal
Bob Piccinin
At the last Board meeting on Dec.15th.. it was suggested by Peter Soloman that residents refrain from pushing the snow from their driveways onto the road. "The roads are also our sidewalks". Many residents use the roads for recreational walking, commuting back and forth to the Rec Centre for activities, mail, etc.
Let us all keep this in mind with the next snowfall and throughout the winter. Thank You

What Am I????

I Shall Seek And Find You... I Shall Take You To Bed And Control You...
I Will Make You Ache, Shake And Sweat Until You Grunt And Groan...
I Will Make You Beg For Mercy...
I Will Exhaust You To The Point That You Will Be Relieved When I
Leave You...And You Will Be Weak For Days.

All My Love,

THE FLU!!!

Christmas Luncheon
Pearl Battley
Seventh Annual Foxboro Christmas Lunch at Marion's Country Cupboard.

Twenty-three happy Foxboro Residents drove to Hawkesville to enjoy an excellent traditional turkey lunch on Dec 8th. Jim Ainsworth offered the blessing. After the meal, Tom Nairn led the group in carol singing. Don Hill was the official photographer. Jim, ably assisted by his elf Mary, provided wonderful door prizes.

Everyone was a winner!

Computer Club
Arnold Muma
The Computer Club is planning a series of 4 sessions in January on Digitizing slides and photographs. They will be presented in the following way.

1. Scanning and digitizing your pictures and saving them onto the Hard Drive.
2. Repairing old faded slides and removing blemishes from old prints.
3. Recording your restored digitized pictures to CD for permanent storage or to share with others.
4. Special photographic projects, such as slide shows, collages and other special effects.

These sessions are very informative. We encourage you
to come out, and be part of these learning sessions.

ON AN EARLY MORNING WALK ROUND FOXBORO GREEN
Ralph Adsetts

Another dawn creeps o'er the hill,
Mists fill the hollows and the world is still,
Large black crows from the spruce trees fly.
Their raucous calls echoing in the sky.

Now comes the sun, his glory to behold,
tingeing distant clouds with pink and gold
Touching the fields with rosy hue
Through a gap in the clouds, where its rays come through.

On the west side path by the farmers' fields,
Checking out the corn, which the good soil yields
Watching the sparrows by the feeders fight,
Then take wild wing and out of sight.

The woods drip darkly in the morning mist,
Bounding squirrels scurry to their nest.
A hawk sits, silent observer, in its wild domain,
Squealing chipmunks to the woods complain.

In the homes I pass, the sleepers lie,
They do not see me passing by,
They hear the horn of the morning train,
Then turn and go back to sleep again.

Back to a place of quiet dreams,
They try and catch one as it streams
Out of their, slowly, wakening mind,
Before they rise and lift the blind.

Out of the woods on the golf course side,
Behind the trees the golfers hide,
Amusing each other by trading shots
Before the morning sun gets hot.

Ambitions mock their frailing frames-but wait,
It's getting close to half past eight,
Who is that going to the pool
Like children going off to school?

Down to the lake where the wild geese play
And the swans stand and preen themselves all day,
Where the wind bends the cattails by the water's edges
And ruffles the fronds of the lakeside sedges

As I crunch-crunch-crunch along the gravel
The cautious ducks observe me travel,
But frightened now they take to wing,
So happy am I you can hear me sing
If you should chance to be passing by,
Beneath this early morning sky.

Up on the wires of the hydro towers,
Ignoring the early morning showers,
A hundred swallows perch in line
Waiting for the sun to shine.
Down below the sumac trees,
Waft early in the morning breeze
Each branch shaking a crimson head,
And dropping its leaves in the flower bead

Sitting now by the waterfall,
I see geese flying and hear them call.
Very soon now they will disappear
Not be seen until next year.

My journey now is almost done
Beneath the willows I walk alone
But I know someone is watching me
As I walk along below the trees.

Cold/Flu Zapper
Charlotte & Don Burnstine
A friend passed along this amazing, at-home cold/flu zapper, so we are doing the same for you.
We were dubious at first hearing, but when we gave it a try recently, we were delighted with the results.
At the FIRST sign of cold/flu (sneezes, tickles in nose or throat, etc.)

1. Lie on your side and put 8-10 drops of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide in your ear. It will "sizzle", with no discomfort.
2. Stay on your side for 5-10 minutes.
3. Repeat for the other ear.
4. If necessary repeat both sides every 4 hours as needed.

Euchre
Sandy Moore
Euchre will resume on Tuesday, January 6th 2004. Watch for the sign-up sheets in the mail room. Jean Goddard and Carol McKelvey are the conveners for the month of January.

PHONE BOOK

New Residents:
Linda Gay Dinelle & Doug Schust -
11 Spruce Grove Ave. 634-9569
Kathy & Paul O'Hagan 117 Golf Links Dr. 634-9539
Pamela & Don Ridley 156 Golf Links Dr. 634-8005

E-mail Changes:

Bob & Lil Good [email protected]

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